Compact composition vocabulary for prepared images and illustrations. Use the patterns as options, not as a checklist.
| Boundary | Rule |
|---|---|
| Selection | Reference — not a constraint: use any pattern, combine compatible ones, or author a clearer free-form composition; no ID, family, or coverage quota applies |
| Canonical IDs | Two-level prompt handles such as #P1-01 and #M2-01; the letters expose composition responsibility, the first digit selects a family, and the final number follows current browse order. No legacy aliases or exporter mapping |
| Composition grammar | Select one or more compatible P structures, then add only useful M, prepared A, or cross-page C patterns |
| Effect options | Direction, side, position, proportion, contour, and intensity are options stated after the ID; they do not create another pattern |
| Asset ownership | Consume prepared project-local assets; no acquisition or processing during SVG realization |
| Exact information | Keep exact or editable text, data, labels, and annotations native |
| Group | Responsibility | Families | Entries |
|---|---|---|---|
P · Primary Structures |
Define the page skeleton | P1 Single Visual · P2 Image as Canvas · P3 Multi-Visual |
46 |
M · Modifier Layers |
Add crop/reveal, tone/focus, or framing/placement/depth treatment to an existing skeleton | M1 Reveal/Crop/Registration · M2 Tone/Focus/Contrast · M3 Framing/Placement/Depth |
27 |
A · Asset-Dependent Treatments |
Require a prepared composite, cutout, or registered derivative | A1 Composite/Appearance · A2 Subject Layers · A3 Registered Derivatives |
10 |
C · Cross-Page Continuity |
Sustain a visual relationship across slides | C1 Persistent State · C2 Camera Continuity · C3 Matched Framing |
4 |
| Mechanism, not generic “mask” | Owner |
|---|---|
| Layout geometry | image-layout-spec.md |
| Image-treatment implementation map | svg-effects.md §6.1 Image-Treatment Implementation Map |
| Crop: policy / legality / wrapper | svg-image-embedding.md / shared-standards-core.md / svg-effects.md |
| Scrim / gradient / wash | svg-effects.md |
| Shadow / glow / overlay-boundary elevation | svg-effects.md §6.4 |
| Boolean hole / text subtraction | native-shape-authoring.md |
| Faceted or folded native form | native-shape-authoring.md §7.1 / svg-effects.md §6.11 |
| Per-pixel mask / blend | Prepared / baked asset; svg-effects.md boundary |
| Chart overlay / motion | executor-chart.md / animations.md |
| Page need | Pattern options |
|---|---|
| Quiet, direct evidence | #P1-11 negative space, #P1-12 framed figure, #P3-04 small multiples, #P3-03 comparison |
| One visual should become the page canvas | #P2-01–#P2-10 native overlays |
| One source should span unusual geometry | #M1-10 one picture, #M1-11 addressable pictures, #A3-01 sharp subject over receded copy |
| Several visuals should read as one system | #P3-05 grid, #P3-14 mosaic with text cell, #P3-20 tessellation, #P3-21 split tiling, #P3-22 curve array, #P3-23 depth row |
| A foreground needs an opening or reveal | #M1-06 true hole, #M1-07 cut scrim, #M1-08 background-registered fill, #M1-05 text subtraction |
| Text needs contrast without discarding the visual | #M2-01 directional scrim, #M2-05 spotlight, #A3-02 prepared frosted panel, #M2-09 grid scrim |
| A subject should cross or re-layer around native content | #A2-02 frame breakout or #A2-03 registered reconstruction group |
| A cover, divider, or promotional page needs image-led structure | #P1-01, #P1-04, #P1-13, or #P3-15–#P3-19 |
| Consecutive pages should share one visual world | #C1-01 persistent state, #C2-01 pan, #C2-02 push/pull, or #C3-01 matched framing |
- #P1-01 · Full-bleed title field — float a native title over one canvas-filling image; optionally use a poster-scale side or lower-corner stack directly on the image without a title card.
- #P1-02 · Side image with content field — place one visual beside native copy; let reading direction choose left/right and hierarchy choose partial- or full-height.
- #P1-03 · Edge-bleed image — extend the visual beyond one canvas edge so it enters or exits the page instead of sitting in a box.
- #P1-04 · Image band or belt — use a top band with content columns below, a middle band with content above and below, or a lower band beneath the title/content field; native copy may also occupy a verified calm zone while the heading stays outside.
- #P1-05 · Balanced horizontal split — give image and content balanced top/bottom fields with a deliberate seam.
- #P1-06 · Central image in a 3×3 field — put the visual at the center and use surrounding cells for labels, evidence, or small data.
- #P1-07 · Centered image with radial callouts — place one focal visual centrally and route native callouts outward.
- #P1-08 · Diagonal visual/content transition — use a diagonal image/content boundary whose contour supports the page's reading direction.
- #P1-09 · Receded image with oversized type — push the image into the background and make typography the dominant foreground.
- #P1-10 · Slim image strip with large type — place a narrow image strip beside oversized horizontal type.
- #P1-11 · Negative-space dominant — keep the visual and copy compact so whitespace carries hierarchy.
- #P1-12 · Framed figure with caption — float one image in whitespace with a restrained frame and native caption.
- #P1-13 · Illustration as layout field — let a large illustration or cutout set the page rhythm; place copy in its calm regions.
Reference — not a constraint: use P2 when native annotations, data, or process nodes bind to locations inside the prepared visual; an ordinary side image or inset remains P1 / P3.
- #P2-01 · Annotated evidence — place compact annotation cards with routed leaders over the visual.
- #P2-02 · Hotspots with sidebar legend — pair numbered points on the visual with a matching native legend.
- #P2-03 · Detail lens — outline one sub-region on the existing picture and place a native caption nearby; keep one picture object and do not add a rescaled image inset.
- #P2-04 · Overview with zoom callout — keep the full overview visible, add a second independently cropped picture from the exact same source, and link the selected region to that detail with native annotation; preserve source-region correspondence, not page-space registration.
- #P2-05 · Contextual metrics — place native KPI tiles in calm regions of the visual.
- #P2-06 · Process through a scene — connect numbered flow nodes along meaningful geometry in a real or illustrated scene.
- #P2-07 · Engineering overlay — add measurement lines, end ticks, module tags, and exact labels.
- #P2-08 · Architecture or network overlay — draw native nodes, connections, icons, and labels over the scene.
- #P2-09 · Interface overlay — add translucent UI panels, progress indicators, badges, and native arcs.
- #P2-10 · Accurate chart over visual context — draw the chart natively, treat the image as context only, and follow
executor-chart.md.
#P2-03 and #P2-04 are not interchangeable: the former annotates one picture; the latter exports an overview plus a second same-source picture object with an independent crop.
- #P3-01 · Diptych — pair two adjacent images around one shared visual argument.
- #P3-02 · Triptych — align three distinct sources, unlike a baked multi-scene asset.
- #P3-03 · Before/after or A/B comparison — place two equally sized image containers side by side and label both states explicitly.
- #P3-04 · Small multiples — arrange same-kind images in identical containers and caption structures so peers can be compared.
- #P3-05 · Equal-cell tiled grid — use equal containers when equality and scanability are the message.
- #P3-06 · Linear image sequence — align a horizontal sequence by height with content-driven widths, or a vertical sequence by width with annotations and captions on one shared side.
- #P3-07 · Z-pattern serpentine — alternate image and text positions down successive bands to create a zigzag reading path.
- #P3-08 · Ascending or descending picture process — step image containers progressively upward or downward and use native numbering or connectors to preserve sequence.
- #P3-09 · Picture-in-picture inset — overlay one framed image over a larger source; use
#P2-04when the inset magnifies a selected region from that exact source. - #P3-10 · Overlapping image stack — use z-order and restrained offsets to create a layered print or archive feel.
- #P3-11 · Asymmetric collage — balance one dominant visual with smaller supporting visuals using consistent gaps.
- #P3-12 · Irregular mosaic — pack different-sized tiles into one coherent field.
- #P3-13 · Montage with spanning type — tile several visuals and run one legible native title treatment across the assembled field.
- #P3-14 · Photo mosaic with a text cell — reserve one mosaic cell for copy so absence of a photo creates hierarchy.
- #P3-15 · Image-navigation table of contents — turn sections into visual navigation cards with native numbering and summaries.
- #P3-16 · Asymmetric dual-image chapter banner — pair a compact image with a wider image and anchor them with a native section marker.
- #P3-17 · Ambient image, evidence image, and text panel — let one visual establish mood and another provide concrete proof.
- #P3-18 · Ribbon-header image cards — give peer image columns distinct native ribbon or chevron headings.
- #P3-19 · Side hero with staggered evidence cards — pair a full-height hero field with supporting cards that step through the opposite side.
- #P3-20 · Non-rectangular tessellation — tile clipped geometric cells and reserve selected cells for native copy or color.
- #P3-21 · Split tiling — fragment one parent contour into interlocking cells, each holding a different image as an independent object.
- #P3-22 · Containers arrayed along a curve — distribute containers consistently along an arc, wave, or ring; keep image orientation intentional.
- #P3-23 · Embracing arc row — create depth with a center-weighted scale and vertical-offset rhythm while keeping the objects two-dimensional.
- #M1-01 · Geometric crop — clip the visual to a circle, ellipse, rounded rectangle, or bounded polygon; the contour is an effect option.
- #M1-02 · Custom-path crop — use one authored organic or silhouette contour when a basic geometric crop cannot express it.
- #M1-03 · Layered paper-cut stack — clip image layers independently and draw vector layers in their final geometry.
- #M1-04 · Faux painted knock-out — cover part of an image with the matching background or another prepared visual only when the surrounding field makes the imitation credible.
- #M1-05 · Text-as-subtraction — reveal an image or field through glyph-shaped holes; materialize supported text Boolean geometry through
native-shape-authoring.md. - #M1-06 · Panel with a true hole — subtract an opening from a foreground panel so changing content behind it remains valid; follow
native-shape-authoring.md§6. - #M1-07 · Scrim with true cutouts — subtract image-reveal openings from a full-canvas scrim; lettering and complex cuts follow
native-shape-authoring.md§6. - #M1-08 · Background-registered shape fill — fill a stationary shape with the page background sampled in root coordinates so it impersonates a hole while remaining an object.
- #M1-09 · Deliberately misregistered fragments — separate same-source fragments and break their alignment intentionally for torn, misprint, or glitch language.
- #M1-10 · One image across detached shapes — export one native picture with disjoint clip subpaths so one continuous scene spans every shape.
- #M1-11 · Same-source addressable crops — export several independent native pictures that share an exact source coordinate system; follow
executor-image.md§1.
The following three patterns are topologically different and are not interchangeable:
| ID | Sources | Exported picture topology | Visual relationship |
|---|---|---|---|
One-picture compound crop (#M1-10) |
One source | One native picture with disjoint clip subpaths | One continuous scene spans detached shapes; fragments are not independent picture objects |
Addressable same-source crops (#M1-11) |
One exact source reference | Several independently addressable native pictures | Crops share one source coordinate system and remain in exact registration; follow executor-image.md §1 |
Different-source split tiling (#P3-21) |
Different sources | Several independent picture objects in interlocking cells | The parent contour unifies peers; scene continuity across cells is not implied |
- #M2-01 · Directional gradient scrim — add directional contrast while retaining image detail; when copy overlays the image, protect its side and keep the focal side clear. Direction, protected side, opacity curve, and stops are options.
- #M2-02 · Radial vignette — darken the periphery to emphasize the central field.
- #M2-03 · Flat wash — uniformly darken, lighten, or palette-tint an image to integrate it with the page.
- #M2-04 · Multi-hue gradient scrim — shift color temperature or bridge image regions with a multi-stop field.
- #M2-05 · Radial spotlight — keep a selected region clear while surrounding content recedes.
- #M2-06 · Texture or atmospheric wash — turn an image into a low-contrast supporting texture or atmosphere field rather than presenting it as primary evidence.
- #M2-07 · Watermark image field — place a strongly receded image behind body copy.
- #M2-08 · Fade into a solid background — match the fade endpoint to the page background so the image edge disappears.
- #M2-09 · Grid scrim with varied opacity — modulate one underlying image through a seamless grid of translucent cells.
- #M3-01 · Restrained image frame — trace the image with one restrained outline.
- #M3-02 · Repeated photo-print frames — repeat nearby outlines for a layered photo-print treatment.
- #M3-03 · Editorial rotation — rotate an image or its container slightly when the style benefits from an informal print gesture.
- #M3-04 · Lifted image panel — separate a standalone image panel from the background with one restrained depth cue;
svg-effects.mdowns the legal effect. - #M3-05 · Contour echo — reuse a non-rectangular clip contour as an offset stroke instead of boxing it in a rectangle.
- #M3-06 · Decorative corner fragment — use a cropped image fragment as a secondary corner accent.
- #M3-07 · Image divider band — replace a line between content regions with a narrow visual strip.
Prepared-asset gate: every treatment below consumes its named project-local asset; it does not authorize creation during SVG realization. Embedded lettering belongs to the artwork only when deliberately fixed; authoritative or editable labels remain native SVG. If a required asset is absent, return to the active workflow's preparation owner or choose a native treatment. image-base.md §2 maps these ids to preparation paths without auto-triggering them.
- #A1-01 · Baked multi-scene composite — use one prepared source containing coordinated internal scenes; distinct from a
P3structure built from separate images. - #A1-02 · Prepared blurred backdrop — use a prepared blurred asset; runtime image blur is not the backdrop mechanism.
- #A1-03 · Prepared duotone photograph — use a prepared two-color image treatment.
- #A1-04 · Prepared soft image-to-image blend — use a precomposited or baked-alpha asset when arbitrary images must blend per pixel.
- #A2-01 · Transparent sticker or cutout — use a prepared RGBA asset and preserve its open silhouette.
- #A2-02 · Subject breaking out of a container — register a prepared foreground subject across its frame boundary.
- #A2-03 · Registered reconstruction group — align a clean base with one or more prepared transparent midground/subject/foreground layers in one coordinate system. Draw each member at its required z-order. Give every full-canvas member the same
x,y,width,height, and aspect mapping; never trim or independently crop it. Several padded-bbox-disjoint objects may share one prepared plate while remaining separate nested-SVG picture crops.
- #A3-01 · Sharp subject over receded full-frame derivative — register a sharp focal crop or prepared cutout subject over a blurred, tinted, or desaturated full-frame derivative; never cover it with an opaque full-frame copy.
- #A3-02 · Registered frosted-glass panel — place a prepared registered blurred crop beneath the native text panel.
- #A3-03 · Selective desaturation — register a prepared color subject layer over a desaturated base.
- #C1-01 · Persistent visual with progressive overlays — keep one source, crop, and placement stable while native annotations or claims change, replace, or accumulate across consecutive pages.
- #C2-01 · Cross-page image pan — show different regions of one wide image across consecutive pages so the audience recognizes one continuous place.
- #C2-02 · Cross-page push-in or pull-out — reuse one source while the crop or scale moves from overview to detail, or detail to overview, across consecutive pages.
If motion is enabled, animations.md owns its implementation; these patterns only define the static framing relationship.
- #C3-01 · Matched framing across sources — keep the subject anchor, visual scale, horizon, or dominant contour aligned while consecutive pages replace one source with another.
Reference — not a constraint: build from the page's communication job, not catalog coverage. Choose the smallest combination that resolves the page and any intentional cross-page relationship.
| Pass | Decision |
|---|---|
| Skeleton | Select the P relationship: one visual field, comparison, sequence, evidence view, or multi-image system. Compatible Primaries may share one page |
| Job | Name the concrete integration need or stylistic role: contrast, aspect fit, focus, reveal/opening, peer cohesion, exact native information, or a recurring depth/print gesture |
| Apply | Add the smallest M that serves each chosen job; add no technique without a job |
| Prepared asset | Use A only when the named project-local composite, cutout, or derivative already exists |
| Continuity | Add C only when adjacent pages deliberately share a persistent state, camera relationship, or matched framing |
| Integrate | Reuse contours, baselines, gap rhythm, palette, and required registration so the layers read as one composition |
| Stop | Omit or simplify the next layer when it repeats a job, competes with the message, requires an unavailable asset, or weakens legibility/editability |
| Page job | Composition candidates |
|---|---|
| Atmospheric cover or divider | #P1-01 + #M2-01; use #M1-07 + optional #M3-05 when an opening should supply the page character |
| One source does not fit the canvas | #A3-01 + #M1-02 or #M1-10, with every copy kept in exact registration |
| Comparison with evidence on both sides | #P3-03 + #P2-01; keep labels, leaders, and exact claims native |
| Scene-backed evidence or metrics | #P2-01 / #P2-05 + #M2-01 or #M2-03; let the image carry context and native SVG carry information |
| One selected region needs explanation | Use #P2-03 for an outline and caption on one picture; use #P2-04 when a second same-source picture must magnify the region |
| Several sources should read as one object | #P3-21 + restrained #M3-01, or #P3-20 + a native text/color cell |
| Several mixed-ratio photos need one visual rhythm | Use #P3-06 + #M1-01 + #M2-01; repeat equal-size parallelogram carriers on one horizontal vector with fixed positive advance and alternating transverse offsets, fill-crop each upright bitmap, overlay each carrier with a same-contour directional gradient, and keep labels native |
| One continuous scene should span detached shapes | #M1-10 + optional #M3-05; combine #P1-08 for a triangular image-and-copy split, and keep one-picture topology |
| Same-source windows must remain independent | #M1-11; add #C2-01 or #C2-02 only when consecutive pages use the relationship |
| A prepared subject should re-layer over its source | #A2-03; keep the base and cutout registered, and insert a native middle layer only when it has a distinct job |
| A busy visual needs one focal region | #M2-05, or prepared #A3-01 / #A3-03 when a native contrast treatment is insufficient |
| A visual argument should build across pages | #C1-01 + #P2-01 or #P2-05; keep the underlying source and frame stable |
| Technical figure needs explanation | #P1-12 + #P2-07 / #P2-03; use #P2-04 only when a second cropped detail is useful, and keep explanatory labels native |
Registration boundary: registration-dependent effects succeed only when their declared coordinate relationship remains exact. Preserve registration for #M1-10, #A2-02, #A3-01, #M1-08, #A2-03, #A3-02, #A3-03, and #M1-11; #M1-09 is the intentional exception.
Source-correspondence boundary: #P2-04 reuses one exact source but intentionally changes the detail crop, scale, and placement; preserve the selected-region correspondence instead of forcing page-space registration.
All compatibility details remain owned by shared-standards-core.md and its routed references.